🏡📐 Why do some new launch condos in 2026 look smaller, but come with a higher PSF?
The answer could be GFA harmonisation.
Since the revised floor area definitions took effect, floor areas are measured more consistently across agencies. One key change is that voids are excluded from strata area, which means buyers are less likely to be paying for empty vertical space within a unit.
That can result in:
📉 Smaller quoted unit sizes
📈 Higher headline PSF
🏡 More meaningful comparison of actual usable space
This is why comparing a newer launch against an older resale condo based purely on PSF can be misleading.
An older 1,000 sqft unit and a newer 900 sqft unit may not necessarily offer the same amount of practical living space.
So when comparing properties, I would look beyond the headline numbers:
📐 How efficient is the layout?
🛋️ How much space is genuinely usable?
🚪 Is there too much corridor or awkward space?
🛏️ Are the bedrooms practical?
💰 What is the total purchase quantum?
📊 What are you actually paying for the liveable space?
🔗 https://propertynet.sg/new-launch-condo-floor-area-efficiency-2026-gfa-harmonisation/
📌 The biggest unit isn't always the best value.
Sometimes, the smarter question is not "How many square feet am I buying?"
It's "How well can I actually use those square feet?"
PropertyNet.SG
New Launch Condo Floor Area 2026: Why Efficiency Ratios Fell From 99% to ~95% | PropertyNet.SG
GFA harmonisation strips voids and aircon ledges from saleable area, so new launch efficiency ratios settled near 95%. Here is how to compare sizes and psf.
September 1, 2026 70 1
